


and what once was desecrated shall be made holy again

by afrocurl



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Fix-It, Hanukkah, M/M, Mansion Fic, Old Dudes in Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-08
Updated: 2012-12-15
Packaged: 2017-11-20 14:44:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/586508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With one small sheet of paper, everything about his relationship with Erik changed. Or maybe they go back to the way they <i>were</i>. </p><p>That's what makes the most sense, at least.</p><p>Also known as, Erik comes to spend one December with Charles after years of Charles sending him Hanukkah gifts for 40 years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. once in a blue moon

**Author's Note:**

> [Written and inspired by this tumblr post](http://malaptica.tumblr.com/post/37238264392/the-holidays-are-upon-us-this-year-you-yeah), wherein fandom celebrates Hanukkah. 
> 
> Thanks to **ninemoons42** , **Pangea** and **professor** for the beta and hand-holding.
> 
> This starts as an AU after the end of X2, but incorporates enough from First Class and the underlying relationship between Charles and Erik.

When Charles got back to the school after meeting the President, there was a single clean sheet of paper atop the slightly messy stack of essays.

It was something he had not expected to find, but that was not the point.

>   
>  _That was fine work with the President, my friend. For what I did, I am sorry. If there is some way to make it up to you, please let me know._
> 
> _You know how._
> 
> _EML_

He stared at the letter, and thought for a few minutes about how to proceed.

There was good still in Erik, he knew instinctively, but that was, as always, mitigated by Erik’s decisions--anger always at play with each plot. Of course, Erik had stopped himself, but only just before Charles had killed every human on the planet.

Compassion was well within Charles’ mind, but each time Erik set himself, or his team, out to demonstrate Mutant supremacy, Charles’s heart broke more. Even hidden behind that blasted helmet, Charles knew Erik had the capacity for good. If only his friend could see it, and understand it.

Erik had, however, suggested that he would help, and that perhaps was just the hint of what Charles had long known the other man possessed. He would not come easily, Charles knew, but if Erik had written the note, he was serious.

It was a bigger hurdle to get Erik back here and around the students, especially after Liberty Island and the mess with Stryker at Alkali Lake, but at least Erik had made the gesture and put in the effort.

It took him no time at all to come to his decision, and when he did, Charles smiled to himself and wheeled himself away from the desk and his office.

-

>   
>  _There are always ways to make amends, as you well know. While we may not agree on how to achieve our goals, I think we should try to work together, instead of in opposition. You’ve seen how well we’ve done until now. Perhaps we can have better luck together, if we compromise._  
> 
> 
> _To that end, please come visit the School in December. Bring Mystique and anyone else. I would love to have you all here to celebrate the holidays._
> 
> _CFX_

-

The air was crisp, the ground covered in a light dusting of snow when Charles felt a few minds on the outskirts of the school grounds. If he was being honest with himself, he had not expected to feel anyone arriving, but there were two minds that felt familiar and another absence, carefully walking up the driveway.

They were, of course, not making a grand entrance, which suited Charles just fine.

“Professor, are you okay?” a student asked, jolting Charles from his thoughts.

“Oh, everything is fine. I was just noticing we have a few visitors here. Will you all mind if we take the day off? I have to make sure everything is fine for them.”

His class all gave their assent before he left the room, content to let them find a way to fill the seventy-five minutes left in the class.

There were more pressing needs for him right now. Like, how to warn the adult staff that Magneto, no Erik, and Mystique were staying for a few weeks and that John was with them. He quickly sent off that message, knowing that they needed to be forewarned, if nothing else. Hopefully he would run into Logan in the foyer, or else Erik was sure to plaster Logan against a wall.

By the time Charles had made sure that there were rooms for Erik and Mystique, and that John’s space had not been turned over, the doorbell rang. He opened the door a moment later, hoping that the classes wouldn’t wonder about it ringing before school was over.

“It’s wonderful for you all to join us here,” Charles said after he opened the door. “I’d like to get you all settled before dinner, so your rooms are waiting for you. Erik and Mystique, your rooms are in a new place. I’ll take you there in a minute.” Looking at John, Charles added, “John, your room is as it was with Bobby. Just know he’s a bit upset at you. I’d like to remind you of the rules. I don’t expect to see any residual signs of using your powers in the room.”

John nodded and ran up the staircase. Erik and Mystique waited until Charles said, “This way to the elevator.”

As he moved to the elevator, Charles kept up a steady stream of comments. “You’ll see that your old rooms have been redone for a few staff members, but we do have extra rooms for guest lectures. I hope you both don’t mind.”

When they were in the elevator, neither said anything. Charles took that as tacit approval. “Here we are. If you need anything else, please let me know. Dinner is at 6:30. Erik, I’d like to see you in the study at 5:30. I have a few things to discuss."

They both nodded, carefully walking into their respective rooms before Charles left them to themselves.

-

He sat, patient as he could be, after 5 PM in the study. He was nervous about how to bring up this particular subject, but that was always the way it was with Erik.

Erik walked in at exactly 5:15, not that it mattered much to Charles if they had this conversation earlier.

“Thank you, Erik,” Charles started. “I wanted to ask you something before it was announced at dinner tonight. We have a few Jewish students here and we try to be inclusive. Hanukkah starts in eight days and I wondered if you wanted to join in the celebration.”

Erik said nothing, though he paced around the room. “I would prefer not to celebrate with the children.”

Charles nodded. “I understand. I had hoped you might want to celebrate, but didn’t want to presume anything.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t celebrate, Charles. Just not _with_ the children. It would be nice to do something smaller. You know now that I am not observant, but it might be nice to get you something.”

“You really just want something else after all those years. I know you did get all of those packages.”

Erik smiled, just a sly one that looked almost menacing if Charles had not known him for so long.

“I did get them, and I’ll make no other comment.”

“As you like. Would you like to play a game?” Charles asked, his hand moving towards the table with the chess set.

“If we can finish before dinner.”

“If not, we’ll just have to come and finish after.”


	2. night the first

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that the rules have been established, Charles has to find a gift before he can receive his.

Once Erik had agreed to a very private celebration, Charles had come to a quick decision about the perfect gift. Erik’s fingers had been skittish all through the chess game that night, itching for something metal to play with. It had been easy to decide what to do after that.

There was one quick phone call to a shop in the city and after confirming that it was possible to make something so specific, Charles had ordered it, with specific instructions on how to package the pieces and board.

When the large box arrived via UPS the day before the first night, Charles smiled. He just had to wait and give the first pieces the next night.

For now, he had classes to teach, and one last chess game with the old set to get through, hopefully with minimal fuss on Erik’s part.

-

The whole school was in the Great Hall, as if for a communal meeting, with a large table in the center. An intricate hanukkiah set atop it, silver shining against a fire behind the table.

Charles looked for Erik and saw him near the door, back against the wall. He said nothing as the few Jewish students stood near the table, explaining the holiday. Not that Erik needed to know the story of how the Maccabees had defeated an army or how the oil that should have lasted one day lasted for eight. Those were the easy facts, ones that Charles knew, deep in his bones, with which Erik had more than a passing familiarity.

This was not what Charles had wanted for Erik, but that was why they had agreed to something more private between them after this. This was for the cultural experience of all the students--the Jewish students having a chance to share one small part of their traditions while the other students were able to leave something about another culture.

One student started a prayer and Charles closed his eyes to let the melody settle into his body. The small candles were lit and set to burn, and with that the students and staff walked away. Erik stayed against the wall, having yet to be officially recognized by Charles to the students and lower staff, and Charles moved towards him.

“Shall we?” he asked.

Erik nodded and they went together from the Great Hall into Charles’ personal study.

Much like every other night for them, a fire was burning bright, the small bar ready with low-ball glasses and ice.

Charles let Erik decide where to sit for their celebration. The small table for the chess set was, of course, an option, but Erik walked to the couch, an old one that Charles had loved as a small boy, and sat there.

Wheeling himself to his desk, Charles opened the bottom drawer and set the small box onto his lap. He had no clue how to wish Erik well here; the holiday was more pretense for a reconciliation than anything else, especially since Charles had spent the last forty years giving Erik gifts at this time of the year. Erik had not moved from the couch when Charles returned there, ready to exchange his first gift.

“Is there something you’re missing?” he asked to Erik, noting that Erik had nothing in his lap or hands. The room was completely empty of any other gift-like object as far as Charles could tell.

“No, I’ll just get it in a while. I thought we should talk.”

Charles nodded, but still watched the box in his lap. “What did you have in mind?”

“Your endgame.”

“What endgame?”

“Don’t be coy. It doesn’t suit you. I want to know what you expect out of Mystique and I being here.”

“Can I just want my sister and my friend to spend time with me, especially at the holidays?”

“Not after such a long time. We’re hardly friends. I just tried to kill the entire human population through you. You should be furious with me.”

“I rather think we still are friends, and I think you know my capacity for forgiveness,” Charles said. “Here, let me show you just why I think that. Hanukkah Semeach!” He reached for the box and offered to Erik.

“Don’t think that your offered gift will stop me from the rest of this conversation.”

“I would never think of that. Would you like a drink? A game?”

Erik huffed, but went to open the box that had been wrapped in careful silver paper with a thin blue ribbon. He did not tear the paper, but carefully turned over the corners and flaps, revealing a carefully crafted tungsten case.

Charles watched as Erik opened the latch with his power, before the top opened with a small noise. Inside, Charles knew, were four chess pieces, two matte titanium pawns and two in platinum. Erik’s eyes went wide at the four small pieces, before they were lifted out of the velvet inside.

“Aren’t I missing a _few_ pieces?”

“Maybe, and maybe not. Good things come to those who wait, my friend.” Finally, Charles rolled over to the bar and started to fix himself a drink while he was sure Erik was floating the pieces around lazily in the air.

“We can hardly pay with four pawns, Charles.”

“Then we’ll have to wait until later.” He paused. “Do you want something to drink?”

“I don’t see a martini shaker, so I’ll have a scotch, neat.”

“Excellent. I was about to do the same. But I think you should go fetch whatever it is you were to give to me before we go back to your earlier conversation. I see no way, without a chess set, to avoid it.”

“It will be here in a minute,” Erik replied, his fingers moving so slightly.

Charles sat still near the bar as he watched for anything to appear near the door. True to Erik’s words, a box floated in, before it rested on the coffee table in front of the couch.

The box stood there for a minute before Charles finished pouring a few fingers of scotch for each of them; he looked back at Erik. “A little help, if you don’t mind?”

“There isn’t any metal in those glasses.”

“Then, please, get off that ass of yours and get them,” Charles replied, smirking. It had been too long since he had been able to joke with Erik, but it felt odd as he watched Erik’s reaction stay still.

“So you’re back to being cheeky, I see.” Erik’s tone went from hard-edged and cool to something that Charles had long thought of as flippant in a fraction of a second.

“It was bound to happen sooner or later. I don’t have nearly enough opportunities now, you see.”

“So responsibility isn’t all you thought it would be.”

“I never said that, but do hurry and get your drink. I would like to see what you were floating in here.”

Erik stood and walked to retrieve his drink and took Charles’ as well. Charles smiled at him for the gesture and quickly started to wheel himself towards the coffee table, needing time to reposition the wheels.

When Erik sat back down, Charles had wheeled himself into a position closest to the box, and started to look at how to open it. He tapped his fingers against the handles of his chair, putting on a show for Erik’s amusement

“Give me a minute, Charles. There’s something else I need to do.”

Charles waited, before a thin line was etched around the box, and it could be opened. “Clever.”

“I didn’t want you opening it before it was time.” Erik smirked at him.

“I would never do something like that.”

“Then we’ll never know.”

Charles pulled the box into two pieces and saw a glass with metal detailing at the base and handle between dark red velvet. “Oh this is lovely. Whatever shall I put in it?”

“That is up to you, but I’d suggest something warm. The details don’t seem to fit a beer or soda.”

“Perhaps, but let me think more on that after I look at the rest of this.” Charles’ eyes focused on the metal work, fine details creating a scene that was better suited for a Medieval tapestry than glasswear. “Did you do this yourself?”

Erik nodded.

Charles beamed at the work Erik had put in before he asked about how long it had taken, forgetting his scotch on the table as he continued to find out about Erik’s detailing skill over the years.

Neither of them took a sip of their drinks, content to spend the rest of the night discussing the gift, entirely avoiding Erik’s earlier conversation.

When they went to bed that night, Charles cradled the glass in his hand. It was just like Erik to be so meticulous in a gift.

If all Erik’s gifts were like this, he knew that no good would come from it.

He was falling back into old habits, reason be damned.


	3. night the second

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles questions his actions and thoughts, but still falls into a familiar situation.

Charles woke to the sight of Erik’s first gift still sitting on his nightstand. It had been odd to fall asleep to the image of Saint George slaying the dragon, but given his history and Erik’s history, it somehow felt right.

Erik had always been about power, and the look on George’s face as he thrust the sword into the beast was as representative of Erik’s own desires as it was about Charles’ reluctance towards violence.

But, as the story went, violence had its advantages and purposes.

Only that train of thought would send Charles down a very dangerous path so early in the morning. There was a time and place for thinking of Erik, and that was usually reserved for just before bed when the house was still, not when the minds of the entire school were waking and getting ready for the day.

He pushed it aside. Time and place meant he could think on that much later in the day.

-

If any of his students noticed that Charles was slightly off his game in class, they said nothing. He was grateful on some level, but also concerned for what it would mean should everything he thought fell into place.

Erik -- well, Magneto -- was a feared persona around campus for the younger students. He was the face of the opposition, the man who bent politicians and scientists alike to his will.

Erik was not, to the students, the man who had held Charles’ heart for over sixty years. That was just for Charles, but with each moment that Charles thought about Erik’s first gift, he wanted to share that other side with all of them.

-

During afternoon office hours, Erik walked into the study, a thin-lipped expression on his face. Charles looked up from his book, still waiting for any students to arrive. “I didn’t expect you to voluntarily interact with the students. What brought this on?”

“I may have scared a few students away as I walked here,” he mumbled.

“How fitting. You do have a reputation to uphold.”

“Perhaps.” Erik looked at the Persian rug in the room, trying to avoid looking directly at Charles. It made Charles smile just so, reminding him of so many of their stolen days together.

“Did you have a reason for coming down here? I mean besides to scare the students?”

“I wanted to know if we could go to dinner, alone. Out of the mansion.”

Charles mock-gasped. “Are you asking me on a date?” One hand came to his chest as if he were ready to faint.

“Yes. I’d like to take you to dinner. We didn’t finish our conversation last night. I’d like to try again on something more like neutral ground.”

“If that’s the case, I’d love to. I’ll be sure to write down the places in town that are accessible.”

“That’ll be fine. If you can get me the list in a few minutes, I’ll call ahead.”

“Of course,” Charles said before he put down his book down and looked for a small notepad. He scribbled the few places he liked the best down before Erik walked over to pick it up.

“Shall we meet at six then? Just before dinner for everyone else?”

“Perfect.”

Erik walked away just as quickly as he had entered, leaving Charles reeling again.

-

Fifteen minutes later no students had come by office hours. Charles mentally declared them over, turning his attention to something else. Anything he did around the office was something that kept him from thinking about his dinner with Erik later.

After he finished grading all of the papers he could find, his study was as tidy and organized as it could be. But he needed something to do. As he looked around, he realized he had yet to decorate the space for the holidays. Slowly he wheeled his way into the one hall closet that was reserved for things he would need in the office and pulled out a box of white lights. At least he could drape them around the mantle of the fireplace to look festive, he thought as he moved back into his study.

Once he was ready to string the lights, Charles opened the box. Inside, the lights were a mess of wires, most of the string knotted within each other. He sighed, but got to work with one end of the lights, trying to untie and detangle all the lights and wires as he went.

He worked with the lights for an hour or so, he assumed, before he was done. Instead of the mess he had found at the beginning, there was a clear string waiting to be hung.

Wheeling himself to the mantle, he was stopped when a knock on the door caught his attention. “Yes?”

“It’s just before six, so I thought I would come to get you for dinner. But I see you’re occupied,” Erik said.

“No, not much anymore. If you’d like, you can help me put these lights up and we’ll be on our way.”

Charles heard Erik’s footfalls against the wood and carpet before Charles saw him. Erik simply picked up one end of the lights and started to reach for any metal in the room. “You need nails to keep them in place. I’ll just make a few and we can go.”

“Thank you,” Charles said, watching as Erik took over the job, hanging the lights with care across the top of the large mantle. When Erik finished, he turned quickly around to say something, but Charles cut him off. “That looks wonderful. Thank you again.”

Erik nodded. “Shall we go?”

“Let’s,” Charles said, before Erik turned around and wait for him. Charles started to move his chair from the mantle towards the door. Erik joined him a moment later, the two of them slowly moving from the study to the garage.

-

Like every time before, Erik’s palate at dinner made Charles smile. Erik had picked one small Italian restaurant in town and happily ordered the salmon fettuccine, while Charles contented himself with the chicken marsala. This was not Charles’ favorite place, but that had no bearing on the evening: the date was all Erik’s ideas and Charles would go along with them.

Despite the pretense Erik had given at the mansion, Erik spent none of the time discussing the olive branch that he and Mystique had been extended by Charles. Charles would have found it odd, but he knew how quickly Erik’s mind work and how it might not matter all that much. Just one more example of Erik’s usual posturing--a way to look more imposing than he was.

Charles had no problem with any other topic of conversation as they tucked into their food. He always enjoyed conversations with Erik that had nothing to do with their roles as leaders of divergent Mutant groups, if only because they reminded him of how they first met.

As the waiter cleared their plates and as the conversation started to die down, Erik pulled out a small velvet pouch from his inside pocket.

“I thought we should exchange gifts here,” he said, placing the pouch on the table and pushing it towards Charles.

“Had you told me that, I would have brought mine. I’m sorry, but it’s not here. Should we wait until we’re back in the study?”

“No, not necessary. I’d like to see you open this here, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Charles picked up the pouch and moved the corners at the top apart to see what was inside. The whole pouch felt heavy in his hand, another metal gift, clearly. He turned the pouch over and let the contents fall into his other palm. It trickled out at the beginning before the heavy part fell, revealing a carefully constructed pocket watch and chain. “This is lovely.”

“It was nothing, honestly. I didn’t feel that you had a watch the other day, and every responsible Headmaster needs one.”

Charles let out a chuckle. “Thank you. Actually I just lost my old pocket watch a few weeks ago. This will do wonderfully as a replacement.” He let his fingers drift over the delicate designs, feeling the indentation of a large dragon. “When did you develop a tastes for dragons?”

“I haven’t, but I remember you spending hours talking about different types of dragons at one of our last dinners. I suppose the motif is a bit hackneyed.” Erik shrugged.

“No, not in the least. I think a student is responsible for my perchance for dragons now. But I do appreciate it.”

“I’m glad.” Erik paused before he put his hand off the table and back into this lap. “I think that concludes tonight’s dinner. We should get back?”

Charles opened the watch, looking at the time. “Oh, you’re right.”

As they drove back to the mansion, Charles’ fingers kept playing with the chain of his new watch against his vest.

-

Erik gladly accepted another tungsten case when they arrived back. This time, it contained the two titanium rooks and the platinum knights.

“You know, this is an odd order to receive the pieces in,” he said.

“I never said I was conventional, my friend,” Charles replied before he started to wheel himself out of the room. “I’m sorry to give and run, but I have an early morning staff meeting tomorrow. Stay and have a drink if you’d like.”

With that, Charles left the room and went to bed.

-

If anyone knew that Charles drifted off to sleep holding a pocket watch, they would have surely thought him crazy. As it was, Charles questioned his own actions, relying so heavily on something Erik had given him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can totally blame Charles with the lights on Sir Patrick Stewart's twitter photo from today. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about.


	4. night the third

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mystique settles into the equation, and complicates things. Just a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh this got a bit rough today, but it's going to work out. Promise.

Charles woke feeling carefree. It was a feeling that had been elusive to him for so long, what with his work running the school. Not that he wanted to feel as if he could do no wrong, but he had obligations and responsibilities, he always had. He had work to do that kept him from spending all of his time with Erik, much as that idea appealed to him.

It had been too long since he and Erik could just talk. Not like the quick conversations that they shared when they could meet for a meal, but something like what they had had together in 1962 as they recruited their small team. Dinner last night had been one small hint of how easy it was to be friends with Erik, views on how to achieve Mutant rights be damned.

Thinking on that, Charles felt through the house, trying to locate Erik. In the past, Erik would have been up at five to go for a run, but Charles very much doubted that Erik would still be running now. All of his recent demonstrations of power had been about finesse and skill, not brute force. That was not to say that Erik had no way to reveal the depth and breadth of his powers, but it no longer needed to be lifting a submarine from the water. Erik’s mind, as clear as it was that one day in the water, was in the kitchen. Mystique was with him, the two of them sitting at the island.

Charles hoped, more than he wanted to admit, that they were not planning a way to attack the school, but without going down himself he would have no clue.

That thought, he hoped, was not what his sister and his friend were doing. They were compatriots, they probably felt comfortable with each other. Charles knew that the rest of the staff had stayed away from both of them, giving each of them room to walk through the halls.

But all of that was meaningless when all Charles wanted to do was cancel his few lectures and talk to each of them.

Maybe he should, just to ensure that they were fine. That they were not planning on leaving before Hanukkah was over, and if he had his way, before New Year’s.

-

As Charles rolled into his study after breakfast, Mystique stood against the mantle. “We felt you this morning,” she said flatly.

“I was only checking on when Erik was. I meant nothing else.”

She scoffed at him, bitter and filled with years of hatred, despite the years that they had spent happy together. “That doesn’t seem like you now, Charles. I know that you’ve known our base since Liberty Island. You aren’t hard to sense, even after all this time.”

“Honestly, Mystique. I was just seeing where Erik was. You’re just as paranoid as he usually is. There’s no ill will in this invitation. I have missed you, both, and with what happened to Jean, I’m putting the past behind. If we die tomorrow, I would like to know I spent some of that time with my sister and my best friend,” he said, trying not to get too emotional at the process of any of their deaths given that Jean’s still felt so raw months later.

“I don’t trust you,” was all she said in reply.

“Take it up with Erik then. He seems content to be here. In fact, we’re having a wonderful time celebrating Hanukkah.”

“He won’t discuss you with me.”

“Then, that’s something else you need to work on. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a class in forty minutes and I need to get myself ready.”

He went the rest of the way from the mantle to his desk, ignoring Mystique in turn. He was not going to fight with her on old tired arguments, even if she felt it necessary.

It was the season of giving, and he was going to take advantage of that, damn everyone else.

-

> Dinner was wonderful last night. However, something has come up today, so I’d like to keep our exchange brief tonight, if you don’t mind.
> 
> CFX

-

Charles waited, as it did most of his days at the school. He had become accustomed to the time it took for students to get from one room to the other and then settle down, but this time, it was different.

Leaving the note as he had, Charles felt awful. He had clouded what was supposed to be a joyful time between he and Erik with Mystique’s bad mood. Only he knew that the rest of their time together would be nothing happy if Erik didn’t know of Mystique’s feelings on Charles’ invitation.

He had no clue if they had discussed the matter that morning, or any other time, but it was time he found out. At least before he grew attached to the gifts from Erik, and from Erik himself.

Erik walked in just as Charles let his thoughts wander. “Hello,” Charles said.

“Hello,” Erik replied, but he looked wary and slightly nervous. “I found your note. I hope to discuss it, if you’re willing.”

“I think we’ll have to, if you don’t want to have a mutiny on your hands.”

“Ah, Mystique found you, did she?”

“However did you guess?”

“She’s been more gruff than usual since you extended this invitation,” Erik said. “She hadn’t know about our meetings until then.”

“Oh,” Charles said. “I suppose it would be difficult to take after so long. You did such a good job of spoiling her against me.”

“It was protection for her, which was more than I could offer myself.”

“That is not your fault, Erik. Not at all.”

“You can’t say that. You only know me from those few months and secret trysts.”

“But that’s why you’re here and we’re doing this. To make up for what I may, or may not, know. By the way, I suppose we should exchange gifts now before we fall back into why my sister hates me more than I thought possible.”

Erik shrugged and reached into his inside pocket to take out a velvet box.

“I’m sensing a theme here,” Charles said.

“What can I say? I’m a creature of habit.” Erik floated the box to Charles who happily opened the box.

“You’ve outdone yourself today. I hadn’t even imagined that anyone would make helix cufflinks.”

“I’m shocked you don’t already own a pair. It seems like the gift for any geneticist.”

“There’s always the sort of obvious gifts that no one wants to give. Clearly, you didn’t think that way.”

Erik smiled, one that almost reached his eyes, and let out a small laugh. “I am one for old news, every now and again.”

“It’s much appreciated. Though at this point, I’m starting to feel like my gifts are underperforming.”

“They are not in the least. I look forward to being able to play a full game in a few weeks.”

Charles looked into this desk and took out the same type of box he had given the last two days. “I’m sorry to be so repetitive, but I do know how much you enjoy the game. I assume you don’t have a set to match your _unique_ interests.”

“It is a wonderful gift. Not unlike the other gifts from those other years. This one, well, it’s better to be here with you to receive it.”

Charles smiled at the thought, and let the conversation drift further away from the charged discuss of Mystique from earlier.

In the end, the conversation stopped, and Erik left for the night.

Charles wished they could have been more light-hearted, but he felt content to air some of their grievances before all was said and done.


	5. night the fourth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mansion was empty, save for two. How do they spend the time alone? Smelling of fried food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today, we're switching things up. But, that's mostly because I wrote tons of something else and a few friends wanted to know what was going on Erik's head.

Despite his better judgement, Erik happily accepted his time with Charles in the mansion. He had been given free reign and none of the young students seemed to pay him any attention.

That all left Erik with time to relearn the place that had felt like a safe-haven so many years ago.

Most of the time, he stayed in his new room, occasionally finding a few books from the Library to read. He ventured down into the kitchen when he was sure no one was there, content to make a few simple recipes for he and Mystique. She was even more reclusive than he had been.

He understood that reason all too well. In fact, he was still reeling from her screaming fit when he announced that they were going to Westchester.

But, or maybe despite that fact, he was glad to be here. Charles was here. Charles who had infinite patience and the capacity for forgiveness.

Charles who was willing to put two near death experiences behind him for the sake of a friend. Or maybe Erik was more. That line had been blurry at best and non-existence at worst before Cuba, but he was back in the same house with the same emotions.

That was enough to send Erik out of the mansion. Only that would mean he would leave Charles yet again.

That plan had yet to work for him in the last forty years or so. It probably was not going to work here.

-

By some miracle that was nowhere near as awesome as the Maccabees defeat, at four in the afternoon, the children were nowhere to be seen.

It would have been something Erik had mentioned to Logan or Storm, but they, too, seemed to have disappeared.

All the better for him. He had yet, with the time in the kitchen, felt the urge to make anything that seemed festive. He was not that sort of man. However, the house smelt faintly of canola oil and all things fried. That only meant one thing.

He followed the scent of oil into the kitchen and felt more so than he saw that there were frying pans littering the stove, oil cooling in them.

Even though he had told Charles that he had no desire to actually observe the holiday, the idea of making latkes appealed to him.

Looking around the kitchen, he tried to find some potatoes to grate along with a small onion to chop. The flour and and eggs were easy, as well as the oil.

He shuffled between grating, chopping and beating with his powers as he also rinsed and cleaned the pans. It only took a few more minutes to mix everything as it needed to be before he could start heating the pans and oil.

The smell of the frying potatoes and the crackle of the oil overtook the kitchen, so much that while he was trying to flip the latkes, he missed Charles’ chair wheeling into the room.

“It smelt so good across the house that I had to see what you were doing,” Charles said.

“I thought the house was empty,” was all he could say in response.

“Not quite. The students and staff, except me, all went to see _The Nutcracker_ in the city for the night. They won’t be back until close to one if nothing goes wrong.”

“So I assume you’re not cooking for yourself tonight?”

“Correct. These smell amazing, if I didn’t say that already. Did you make enough for two?”

Erik looks at the bowl of mix. There is not strictly enough for two, but it can work. “Not right now, but it won’t take me more than a few minutes to make more. You’re welcome to the first batch, though.”

Charles smiled as he started to eat the plateful of latkes.

-

By the time that they had finished all of the latkes, Charles was ready to go back into his study to exchange gifts. Erik hedged, “I’ll need a minute to go find it.”

“You mean, it’s not metal so that you can float it in?”

“Well, it is, but I didn’t have it wrapped. That defeats some of the purpose of exchanging gifts if there’s no wrapping.”

Charles laughed a bit. “I see that. I’ll meet you in the study in fifteen?”

Erik nodded. “Make it thirty. I should clean the dishes so that no one knows that you ate your weight in fried food tonight.”

Charles rolled away from the room without saying anything. Erik took that as all the confirmation he needed.

-

In the comfort of his room, Erik realized that he smelled like fried food and oil. Not at all attractive when the purpose of this whole trip had been to put his best food forward. He shucked off his trousers and grey turtleneck for another set of trousers and one of the five black turtlenecks that he currently had with him.

It hoped Charles would not notice the change, or if he did, that Charles did not mind that Erik came into the room not smelling like a grease stain.

With that settled, Erik still had to determine which gift to give Charles tonight. There were still five nights, including tonight left. One, he had already decided as the last one, but the other four were still up in the air.

He came to a conclusion in a minute before he walked into Charles’ study.

-

Charles looked at the leather gloves and crooked his head. “There’s no metal in these.”

“I lied, just a little, but I have my reasons. Would you care to go for a walk with me. Or a roll. The children are gone, I hope, and we haven’t done anything so simple since I arrived.”

“What a nice idea, though I don’t know if I can find my jacket and blanket.”

“I’m sure we can work through that. As long as your closet has improved in the last forty years.”

“It has, but only as the insistence of others.”

Erik, pleased with himself, let Charles lead the way into his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [One of many different latke recipes.](http://allrecipes.com/recipe/potato-latkes-i/)
> 
> Personally, I love blue potato pancakes, but I didn't imagine the mansion would have blue potatoes.


	6. night the fifth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mystique continues to isolate herself, Charles wonders more about Erik and his feelings on all of their time together.

Sleep did not come easily for Charles. He ran through everything that he and Erik had said on their walk around the grounds more than was necessary, looking for hidden meanings along the way.

All of Erik’s gifts so far had been so personal, even if the gloves seemed at odds with the rest of them, and also lacked metal. But the gloves had been so practical and something that the staff tended to ignore at Christmas. It had been those gloves as Charles associated them with that walk--with their easy conversations about nothing of import--that made them seem so much more. That idea was impossible, but it was there nonetheless.

Now, everything played back in his mind, making sleep elusive. It was the small laugh as Erik talked about how many different compounds they had gone through over the years. It was in the stories of he and Mystique being together and taking on private groups who wanted to test mutant children - much as that idea repulsed him, he knew that his sister and his friend had each other.

More than those moments, however, it was the way that Erik’s powers had guided Charles’ chair over rough patches of snow as they walked. Erik had been considerate, overly polite. It felt wonderful to be cared for, instead of caring for others.

It had been forty years or more since someone had taken care of him. It was so shocking that he found he did not want to stop thinking of it.

Just what he did not need in all of this: more reasons to fall for Erik.

-

The trip into the city had exhausted all of Charles’ students, to the point where he took their quiet smiles as signs that any serious discussions would soon be lost. He also realized that most of the students were leaving to spend time at home in a few days, and as such they were already checking out of their lectures and rooms.

He felt like them, only instead of thinking of being home for a few days, he was thinking of more time with Erik.

More time to ponder the sort of gift he would receive tonight and what the other three nights might hold.

Only, that seemed like a poor exercise in thoughts when he had engaged the students a brief discussion before dismissing them all. There were other things he could, and should, do with his time. Yet, he came back to Erik’s voice and Erik’s mind as they walked.

-

It occurred to him, just as he was sitting in the study before Erik was set to arrive, that all of his gifts had been rather mediocre compared to what Erik was giving him.

Hopefully, he would have a chance to ask Erik if he had been truly happy with the chess pieces so far. Not that it should matter if Erik appreciated the gifts, but he wanted to know all the same if Erik felt as strongly about the gifts as he had been about his.

If only he could have the next few hours pass by quickly. He asked excellent questions when necessary.

Or so he had been told.

-

The children, he felt, were all sitting around the television watching _A Charlie Brown Christmas_. He had not a clue why Storm or Scott had chosen that film for the night’s entertainment, but he was not going to argue when the other side of the house was nearly empty.

Mystique, as usual, was in her room, as close to a pariah as possible despite everything he had done to try and make her comfortable. She had food and all the time she wanted, but she rarely left and rarely said anything, except to Erik.

Their fight from the a few days before still dug at him, but there had been too much said between them and too much left unsaid that he could not find a way to express what he wanted for her. He had lost that ability, and now she was more Erik’s friend than Charles’ sister.

As he continued to mull over Mystique’s discomfort, Erik’s mind came into focus just outside the study.

“Come in,” Charles said as he opened his desk drawer to retrieve Erik’s gift.

Wheeling towards the fireplace, Charles watched Erik walk in holding a flat rectangular box, no bigger than a hardbound book.

“I’m afraid, as usual, my gift is predictable,” Charles said when Erik was finally sitting down on the couch.

“That doesn’t mean it isn’t any less thoughtful.”

“You aren’t just being nice, are you?” Charles asked.

“Not in the least. Those previous gifts are still ones I treasure. Even if they’re currently sitting in a storage unit.”

“I hope that this whole gift won’t end up there.”

“No,” Erik said, flatly. “It will always be close to me, because I have already come to learn the feel and weight of each piece. It won’t take long to learn about the rest,” he added before floating Charles’ gift towards him.

Charles laughed at how childish it seemed for Erik to not wait for the chess pieces. “You’ve never been _that_ impatient.”

“I think I have, but you’ve forgotten. Or with some rose-colored glasses, you’ve forgotten.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”

“If you say so.” Erik opened the box to see two knights and two pawns. They floated out and Erik twirled them idly around the couch.

“As I see you’ve turned into one of my students, will you please pass me your gift. I’d like to know if you’ve kept to a theme after all.”

“The theme was broken last night, but who’s to say about tonight.” Erik passed the box over to Charles with a ease, as if there was nothing to hide in what they had been doing for five nights.

Maybe there was hope for them after all, Charles thought.

Just maybe.

-

Opening his gift from Erik lead them to a conversation that Charles had never wanted to have, but Erik had forced the subject as soon as the steel grey beanie had been separated from some tissue paper.

His hair, well his lack thereof, had been a sore spot after Hank had rebuilt Cerebro, but in the spirit of extending courtesy, Charles explained exactly how quickly his hair had started to fall out as he worked in the new machine.

Hank, as always, had some explanation, but that made no difference as Erik tried to stifle his laughter at how it had only taken four sessions for Charles’ hair to fall out entirely.

“I don’t think I should tolerate any more of this,” Charles said in between another fit of Erik’s laughter.

“You should, because it is hysterical. You were so particular about your hair that I can’t imagine you as it fell out.”

“You wouldn’t have wanted to have been here. I was miserable.”

“Not like now?” Erik asked.

“Not with you here. I’m generally sardonic most of the time to the staff.”

It was the truth, Charles knew. He hoped that Erik understood that.


	7. night the sixth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles worries, as he is want to do, and has to address it before he misses the chance entirely.

On his way to breakfast, Mystique walked out of her room, shocked at the sight him near her.

“Morning Mystique.”

“Charles,” she said with a slight nod.

“Are you coming down for breakfast?”

She said nothing, but walked towards the one bathroom she and Erik shared.

“Suit yourself then.” He wheeled away, with every intention of talking to Erik later in the day about her unhappiness.

-

The weekend loomed for all of the students, much like it had the day before and the day before that. Charles, again, felt himself distracted thinking of how to approach the subject of Mystique to Erik, and so he put forth some effort into a lesson for the day before allowing them to leave early again. He heard no protests and knew that it was not the best teaching practice, but it seemed to make sense in the moment.

Rightfully, he had lost the ability to make decisions for her or ask her for anything after that day on the beach, but it had not meant that he stopped caring about her.

He knew about her injury after Liberty Island, and he knew that she was always at Erik’s side as they took on another corporation that wanted to subjugate mutants. More often than not, it scared him that she was exposed that much, but he had lost the ability to guide her.

There was no alternative that he could see, but at least he would be able to discuss it later with Erik.

-

Like clockwork, Erik walked into the study just after six. Charles had put his gift out on the coffee table, trying to avoid some small talk to get to the heart of what had taken over his thoughts all day.

“What’s wrong?” Erik asked, as he looked at the gift already waiting for him.

“Nothing is wrong, but I wanted to talk to you about something serious. After we exchanged gifts.”

“That doesn’t make sense. We should start off with the difficult conversation and end on the happy note.”

Charles thought on that before saying, “I think that sounds much better.”

“Good, so what’s on your mind?”

“It’s Mystique.”

“What of her?” Erik asked.

“She’s unhappy here and she spends most of her time in her room, or with you.”

“What of that?”

“It’s making her miserable.”

“Why is that any of your concern?”

“Because I asked her here with you and she has done nothing to try and socialize with anyone.”

“And by anyone you mean you, Charles?”

“I had hoped she would _try_ ,” Charles said.

“I didn’t tell you this when we first arrived, but she hated the idea of coming back here. Of seeing you. I only managed to convince her to come as a favor to me, because I know how much you have missed her.”

Charles nodded, trusting that Erik really did know him well enough. “Thank you for bringing her here, but I don’t think she wants to stay.”

It was Erik’s turn to nod. “She has already mentioned that she wants to leave after Christmas.”

“I’ll be sad to see her leave, but I know she’d be happier without all the reminders of this place.”

“I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow.” Erik paused. “I think I’ll get myself something to drink before we open presents. Do you want something?”

“I’d love a scotch.”

Erik walked to the small bar, fixing their drinks before returning to the couch.

“That wasn’t such a hard conversation, was it?”

“I’d been thinking about it all day, so I don’t think I have a good answer to that. I did expect you to fight me a bit more on it.”

“She already had her reservations before we arrived, so I knew that she’d rather not stay.”

“If that’s done then, what shall we talk about about instead?”

“Did anyone say anything about your hat yet?”

“No one has seen me leave the mansion, so that’s a no.”

“Are you going to stay here in order to avoid those conversations?”

Charles chuckled. “I doubt it. I have more pride in my baldness now. Most of the students have never seen me with hair. Though I don’t make a point of wearing hats indoors.”

“I’d think you would look smashing in a trilby,” Erik said before sipping at his drink.

Charles swallowed at the idea of Erik seeing him in a trilby before he grabbed his own drink.

He was sure that Erik’s suggestions were getting less subtle as the days had passed.

Nothing good was going to come from that.

-

As he and Erik continued to talk over three more glasses of scotch, Charles seemed to forget that Erik’s present was still sitting on the table.

“Oh, we’ve forgotten the gifts, Erik.”

Erik looked down. “So we have. Shall we do that quickly before the clock strikes twelve and you turn into a dirty housemaid?”

“I will do nothing of the sort. But, there are still classes tomorrow, so I should get to bed. You know where your gift is.” He pointed to the same box as had been given every other night.

“Let me get yours,” Erik said before he turned away. Charles had no clue where Erik was getting the gift from, but another small box soon floated from Erik’s part of the couch to Charles.

Unlike every other gift so far, this one looked to be the size of a very small box, no larger than would hold a pair of earrings.

“This looks too small for anything for me,” Charles said.

“Open it, and see for yourself.”

Charles pulled the black velvet top over, revealing a tie-tack with DNA strands engraved into it. “How wonderful! I see the DNA theme is back.”

“Not to mention, the metal,” Erik added.

“I thought that went without saying. But, this is perfect. I haven’t had a new one in a few years.”

“Because you hid your ties behind vests.”

Charles’ laughter filled the room until he had to get himself ready for bed.


	8. night the seventh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are long-term plans to be made, both for himself and for Mystique. At least now, Erik knows where Charles might stand on both of them.

In spite of forty years spent with Mystique, Erik disliked the idea of having to deal with her unhappiness directly. She was his second-in-command, and he let her do as she wished on most occasions.

But he had guided her into that role in the first place, telling her and demanding of her that she understand and follow his lead.

In forty years, he had yet to tell her that she should do something other than follow his orders. But he had known that she had been more withdrawn than usual. She had eaten lunch with him for a few days, but now he rarely saw her in the kitchen, or anywhere for that matter.

Until Charles had said something, it had not meant much to him, but that was because he had been so preoccupied with making a good impression _for_ Charles.

Now, though, he needed to say something so that Mystique did not upset anyone else.

The fact that she had upset Charles was enough to make Erik take action.

-

Thinking about how much the rift between Charles and Mystique had grown over the years only reminded Erik of how much he hoped to close the rift that had existed between himself and Charles. He knew, more so than he hoped, that his arrival here had been the first step to help mend the rift. He also hoped that his gifts thus far had done more towards that end. He had put in an effort to think of things that were practical and also heartfelt in ways that seemed to have won Charles over.

Charles had smiled, laughed and nearly cried at each gift that Erik had presented to him.They were, Erik thought, practical gifts that someone like Charles would need, but every time, Erik found out that no one had ever thought to give Charles anything like that.

That was enough to make Erik’s decision for him. He was going to stay, if only because Charles needed someone to pay as much attention to him as Charles had done for everyone else.

-

Unlike every other day that he and Mystique had eaten lunch together, Erik had a plan. He was not just going to make them some quick sandwiches and let her off on her own, as usual. At least not if he wanted to express what he and Charles had discussed the night before.

If he took longer to plate their lunch, she said nothing of it when the sandwich and potato chips appeared. She tucked into her roast beef with no fuss, not even to thank him.

“You’ve been quiet,” he finally said after a few bites.

“It’s not like anyone wants me here,” she said.

“That’s not true. Charles wouldn’t have asked you here if he didn’t want you here in the first place.”

“Unlike in your case, he hasn’t really gone out of his way to talk to me, so you’ll have to excuse me if I don’t believe that.”

“You know he’s busy,” Erik hedged.

“Yet he has all the time for you, Hanukkah and G-d knows what else.”

He winced, but conceded the point. “You haven’t made a point of seeking him out.”

“Because you taught me better than to let me be put down because of how I choose to live my life. I don’t need his condescension about how I walk around naked.”

“Do you think if you _talked_ to him, he might listen? I know it works wonders.”

“It only works with you because he probably still wants to kiss you senseless, so I’ll pass,” she said dismissively.

Erik muttered to himself about the tenor of the conversation before trying again. “So clearly Charles has figured out that you’re unhappy. As have I. After Christmas, you’re welcome to leave. No questions asked.”

“Would you leave with me?” she asked.

“No, I’m not leaving. Not when I think that Charles and I are making progress towards being less destructive around each other.”

“I’d say that you’re less destructive because you’re old, but whatever,” she said before finishing her sandwich without another word.

She walked out shortly after her plate was empty and Erik had no idea if that was a good or bad thing. She had an option now, no matter what choice she wanted to make.

He had always taught her that she had a choice, even if he had brought her without giving her one.

-

Before meeting Charles for the second to the last night of their private celebration, Erik carefully put the small box into the inside pocket of his jacket, even if it was too formal for what they had been doing. He wanted to keep this gift as secret as possible, even if the one for tomorrow spoke volumes more than this one did.

It was still the principle of giving gifts--that they should be seen only at the last minute with as much anticipation as was required. Even if this holiday, originally, had no little importance to Jews, it had been appropriated as such, so he was not going to give up on the conventions that had been established well after he had lost his faith.

Patting his breast pocket, he left his room for the study. The extra spring in his step was seen by no one.

-

When he walked in, Charles seemed to be nervous, his hands busy writing something at his desk.

“Are you busy? I can come back later, if you need me to.” Erik stood by the door frame, waiting for some indication.

Charles looked up. “Oh no, nothing like that. I was was just trying to occupy myself after the final preparations for the holidays here. Scott and Logan are off to get some trees tomorrow and I had to remind them of the dimensions of the doors and rooms.”

Erik nodded because he had no real reply. “Are you ready?” He started to move towards the couch and settled himself in quickly as Charles stayed by his desk.

“I thought,” Charles started, “that we’d start like yesterday. Get the potentially bad news out of the way. Did you talk to Mystique?” Charles ruffled a few papers, as a way to work out some nervousness. At least Erik hoped it was about Mystique.

“I did, though I don’t know what she’ll do. She has her choices and she’ll make one of them.”

“Yet you didn’t give her a choice to come here.”

“I remembered that, but I thought it for the best. Now, it’s up to her.”

“So it is.”

Erik shifted a bit on the couch, hoping that Charles would appear near him soon enough. A moment later, Erik sensed Charles’ chair moving towards him. “So, I hope this doesn’t seem too impersonal,” he started.

“Nothing you’ve given me so far has seemed impersonal,” Charles replied.

“Well, tell me if this one is, and I’ll figure something else out later.” He reached into his jacket and offered Charles the small rectangular box.

“You have a theme of small gifts,” Charles said.

“It’s never been about the size, Charles. You should know that.” He winked, because it was just the sort of thing that felt right. The two of them in an easy conversation where it wasn’t about philosophies and endgames, but just about spending time with each other.

Charles smiled, clearly catching on with the intended joke. “Very well.” He went to untie the small ribbon around the box before he looked inside. He let out a small gasp, shocked at the contents. “I didn’t think you would remember,” he said.

“That you’re pointedly old-fashioned? How could I when you wear a three-piece suit to Congressional hearings.”

“I never had a fountain pen when we were training,” Charles replied.

“That doesn’t mean I didn’t pick up on the fact that you preferred one when we were recruiting.”

“Fair enough, I suppose. This is perfect,” Charles said, running his hand over the smooth contours of the pen.

“I assume you have an inkwell for it,” Erik added.

“Of course. Though I would have liked to see what color ink you would have picked out.”

“I doubt you want to sign your letters on school masthead in maroon.”

“Who’s to say?” Charles asked before he laughed at himself.

“Well, I’ll have to think of that later,” Erik added. “But now, I don’t feel like sensing your present. Will you bring it over?”

“Someone’s greedy?”

“Not greedy so much as curious which pieces you’ll give today. I hope that tomorrow there’s a game on your agenda.”

“There may be one, if you’ll allow it.”

“Of course I will. I haven’t played in seven days. I’m starting to miss it.”

Charles laughed louder this time, and all Erik wanted to do was to keep him doing that.

For tomorrow and the day after that. Even longer if he was lucky.


	9. night the eighth, but not the last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charles over-analyzes as Erik has a plan of his own.

Despite Erik being even less subtle than the day before, Charles slept fitfully. He worried, more than he had any other night, that Erik’s gifts were some setup for leaving again after lulling Charles into a state of contentment.

Without lessons to think about for the next day, it was even more evident to Charles that tomorrow’s last exchange would either be something he looked forward to or something that would set him off for the rest of the holiday break.

-

In the last five years, Charles had not been one to stay idle on the weekends. There were always papers to grade, or students to take on extra activities, but with the break officially underway, there was nothing that was solely his responsibility. He was sure there was _something_ about the upcoming finals schedule that he could do, but it could wait until Monday, if not later.

He had felt Scott and Logan leave for the Christmas tree farm, and that meant that the students who remained would be ready to help decorate the trees in a few hours.

So instead of focusing on what he should do for the day, Charles analyzed the gifts that Erik had given to him so far. If he thought about them in an academic way, there might be an answer to what Erik was going to do after tonight.

Charles managed to wheel around his room to find all of the gifts before he placed them on his bed to examine each.

The first night Erik had given him a glass that should, he knew, have been saved for later in the week. But it had been so well-crafted and created that Charles could not mind. Was it a demonstration of building something together or just an overly nice gift to make up for all of the years that Erik had said nothing when Charles’ presents arrived?

That was too rude a question to ask, at least now. It lingered, though, as Charles looked at the others. The details on the cufflinks and tie-tack were just as perfect as those on the glass, if even more intricate because of the size. He could say the same thing for the pocket watch, before he reminded himself that Erik had said that he had been thinking of doing more with fine details than largesse.

The gloves and hat, on the surface, seemed at odds with all of the metal in the other gifts, but when Erik had presented each of them, he had been so adamant that Charles needed someone to look after him, just as much as he looked after the others. It was a hard point to argue against, even though Charles wished he could.

For some reason, the fountain pen was the most confusing. It was utilitarian, and practical, but he had yet to see any fine details that Erik might have added to the casing. It was made of metal, Charles could tell that much, but it had no markings to suggest that Erik had made it himself, nor that he had thought to add any details.

Charles shook his head. This presentation and analysis was going to drive him crazy for the day.

Perhaps he could help with the tree trimming when Scott and Logan came back.

Anything to keep him from thinking the worst.

-

Tree trimming, mysteriously, took the entire afternoon with the help of some of the younger students. The group had managed to not fight over what ornaments were placed where and if they could hang up the decorations that they had brought from home.

It calmed Charles’ nerves to see so many people happy at something as simple as a fir tree with lights and baubles.

What still loomed was his last night of Hanukkah with Erik.

He tried to push that away as another student asked for his opinion on her part of the tree, but barely managed that before his mind went back to Erik.

The grandfather clock in the foyer struck four times as they finished the tree. There were still two hours until he could talk to Erik.

He thought tonight might be the best night to drink early.

-

Drinking had not help Charles’ nerves in the least. If anything, the fingers of scotch had made it worse. His study felt like it was closing in on him, as the chess table sat empty and Erik had yet to arrive.

All of this had been a mistake, Charles mused, as he sipped on more of his drink before he felt Erik’s mind just outside the door.

Putting his tumbler down, Charles started to wheel away from the desk towards the couch, just so that Erik would not think that he had been here long.

“Did you want to start earlier and not tell me?” Erik asked when he walked into the room and looked around. He must have seen the scotch still in his glass.

“No, nothing like that. Just having an early drink. No classes tomorrow,” Charles added.

“Is that what you’re calling it these days?”

“What would you call it?”

“Drowning your sorrows.” Erik stopped just before the couch and stood by Charles’ chair.

“I was not,” Charles tried to say, but Erik’s hand came to rest upon Charles shoulder and he stopped.

“You have nothing to be worried about, Charles,” Erik said before he knelt down and tried to be at eye level. His hand had moved from Charles’ shoulder to his lap. “I thought you knew I was going to stay.”

Charles shook his head, unsure if he could articulate what he had thought over the day.

“Well then, let me give you your last gift, Charles, with something else.” A box floated towards the two of them from inside the study, hidden between a few books on some shelf. “Open it.”

Charles started to remove the paper and gasped as he took off the top of the paper box. It was another mug, nearly identical to the one Erik had given him on the first night. “Oh,” he said.

“Wasn’t I obvious enough?”

“I didn’t want to presume anything,” Charles said hoarsely, trying not to choke on his words.

“You should have, Charles. I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t want to. You know that.”

Charles nodded just as a single tear fell from his eye. Erik stroked it away before he kept his hand still against Charles’ cheek.

“I’ll stay. If you’ll have me.”

Charles moved his face slightly, just enough to move Erik’s hand before it fell onto Charles’ lap. He took Erik’s hand and wound his fingers into the other man’s before he said anything. “Of course I’ll have you. That’s all I’ve wanted for the last forty years.”

Erik leaned forward and kissed one of Charles’ cheeks before he moved onto Charles’ lips.

It felt the same as the last time,forty years ago and Charles wondered how he had gone so long without Erik’s touch.

He had no problems imagining that he would not miss it after that.

-

_the next year_

Erik stood at Charles’ side as the students, mostly the same as last year’s, explained the traditions and story of Hanukkah to the entire school. Charles felt more than he saw Erik’s happiness in the moment, but said nothing.

They had a tradition to maintain in their study for the next eight days that the students had no business knowing.

It was theirs alone.

A package had arrived just before the celebration had begun, inscribed with the initials RMD and IA, and addressed to him and Erik.

That was something else they had to open today, it seemed.


End file.
